CONTACT: Curtis Hubbard, 303-908-2378, [email protected]

DENVER — Connect for Health Colorado has opened 13 walk-in Enrollment Centers in 11 cities across Colorado.

These “retail sites” have set up shop in Adams County, Southeast Denver/Aurora, Colorado Springs, downtown Denver, Fort Collins (2), Grand Junction (2), Greeley, Lafayette, Lakewood, Pueblo, and Wheat Ridge. Connect for Health Colorado is working with its partners and statewide Assistance Network to ensure certified brokers/agents and Health Coverage Guides are available to provide free, one-on-one assistance to customers at each walk-in location. No appointment is necessary to receive help.

“We want to make it easier to choose a health insurance plan, and one of the best ways for us to do that is to meet with customers face to face,” said Chief Marketing Officer Linda Kanamine. “Brokers, Health Coverage Guides and Connect for Health Colorado teams are working hard to reach Coloradans and assist them where they live.”

To find the location nearest you and hours of operation, visit: connectforhealthco.com/resources/person-help/

Customers will be able to renew existing policies or buy new coverage during the Open Enrollment Period, which runs through Feb. 15, 2015. Whether you are renewing or enrolling for the first time, you must complete enrollment by Dec. 15, 2014, to have coverage start on Jan. 1, 2015, and avoid a gap in your coverage.

In addition to the retail sites, there are more than 1,550 independent brokers and agents, and more than 400 Health Coverage Guides and Certified Application Counselors in Colorado trained to help people shop with Connect for Health Colorado. To find them in your area (search by zip code) go to connectforhealthco.com/resources/person-help/

CONTACT: Curtis Hubbard, 303-908-2378, [email protected]

Denver, Colo. — Following on the success of its Denver retail location last year, Connect for Health Colorado and its partners are opening walk-in Enrollment Centers across Colorado for 2015 Open Enrollment, including locations in Greeley, Commerce City and downtown Denver tomorrow.

“We know that shopping for insurance can be complicated and sometimes confusing, and we’re doing everything we can—whether it’s on our website or by opening additional offices to provide in-person assistance—to help our customers,” said Chief Strategy and Sales Officer Marcia Benshoof.

Walk-in sites opening tomorrow are located as follows:

• Denver: 16th Street Mall, intersection of 16th and California.
• Greeley: 2028 S. 35th Ave., Ste. B
• Commerce City: Kids First Health Care, 4675 E. 69th Ave.

 

Others will be opening next week and in the coming weeks in Southeast Denver, Colorado Springs,Lafayette, Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, Thornton, Longmont, Pueblo, Grand Junction and elsewhere organized by Connect for Health Colorado, certified assistance sites and certified brokers.

To find the location nearest you and hours of operation, visit: connectforhealthco.com/resources/person-help/

Certified Brokers/Agents and Health Coverage Guides will be available to provide one-on-one assistance to customers at each walk-in location.

Customers will be able to renew existing policies or purchase new coverage during the Open Enrollment Period, which runs Nov. 15, 2014 to Feb. 15, 2015. Whether you are renewing or enrolling for the first time, you must complete enrollment by Dec. 15, 2014, to have coverage start on Jan. 1, 2015, and avoid a gap in your insurance.

“We know that finding the right policy can be complicated. That’s why, in addition to the tools and information on our website, we suggest Coloradans take advantage of free, in-person help in every county of our state from a statewide network of trained and certified Health Coverage Guides and Brokers,” said Benshoof. “These are experts who can help explain the differences in plans, benefits and costs, and help you through the financial application and enrollment process.”

There are more than 1,550 independent brokers and agents, and more than 400 Health Coverage Guides and Certified Application Counselors. To find them in your area (search by zip code) go to connectforhealthco.com/help-center/

CONTACT: Curtis Hubbard, [email protected], 303-908-2378

DENVER (Nov. 11, 2014)  — Connect for Health Colorado® has launched an updated and improved enrollment site for individuals and families shopping for private health insurance in the upcoming Open Enrollment, which begins Saturday (November 15).

The early opening provides a Pre-Enrollment Preview for Coloradans obtaining coverage through Connect for Health Colorado, the state Health Insurance Marketplace. More than 148,000 individuals have been covered through plans purchased on the Marketplace in 2014.
This week, current and potential customers will be able compare policies offered in their area, research their eligibility for tax credits, choose coverage and begin their enrollment.

“We want to encourage consumers to comparison shop for policies that meet their needs and their own particular circumstances,” said interim CEO Gary Drews. “Monthly premiums, benefits and the financial assistance available to consumers who qualify can change each year. This year, there are some new, less expensive choices available in many regions. We are urging Coloradans to be smart consumers – and compare their options before renewing their current plan or enrolling in a new one.”

Applicants this year will find a simplified single application process to direct consumers to either completing an enrollment in private health insurance via Connect for Health Colorado or enrolling in Medicaid with the state Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, depending on the applicant’s financial situation. The two entities have been collaborating for months on making the enrollment process easier.

Other improvements to assist in the enrollment process will be rolled out during Open Enrollment. Those include:

• An avatar named “Kyla”, a virtual assistant who can help customers through some of the key steps of the enrollment process.
• A Medication Look-Up Tool, which enables customers to compare prescription coverage under various policies.
• An enhanced Provider Directory to help customers see if their doctor is in the network of the health plans they are comparing.

Customers will be able to renew existing policies or purchase new coverage during the Open Enrollment Period, which runs Nov. 15, 2014, to Feb. 15, 2015. Whether you are renewing or enrolling for the first time, you must complete enrollment by Dec. 15, 2014, to have coverage Jan. 1, 2015, and avoid a gap in your insurance.

“We know that finding the right policy can be complicated. That’s why we suggest Coloradans take advantage of free, in-person help available in every county of our state from a network of trained and certified Health Coverage Guides and Brokers,” Drews said. “These are experts who can help explain the differences in plans, benefits and costs, and help you through the financial application and enrollment process.”

There are more than 1,600 independent brokers and agents, and more than 400 Health Coverage Guides and Certified Application Counselors. To find them in your area (search by zip code) go to connectforhealthco.com/help-center/.

About Connect for Health Colorado
Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established in law by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011 to create a health insurance Marketplace.  It opened for business on Oct. 1, 2013 for individuals, families and small employers to compare and buy health insurance and apply for tax credits to help make their insurance more affordable. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or chat from expert Customer Service Center representatives; and find in-person assistance from certified brokers and agents, community based certified Health Coverage Guides or Certified Application Counselors. In 2014, the Marketplace enrolled more than 148,000 Coloradans in private insurance and helped nearly 100,000 gain access to new tax credits that made their health coverage more affordable – all while keeping fees among the lowest in the country.

Contact: Ben Davis, [email protected], 303-522-6790

Renewing & New Customers Must Buy 2015 Coverage between Nov. 15, 2014 – Feb. 15, 2015

DENVER (OCTOBER 28, 2014) – Competition in Colorado’s health insurance industry has triggered significant plan and price changes for individuals and families who buy private insurance through Connect for Health Colorado®.

Coloradans will have more choices in health plans for next year. And, there are less-expensive options in most areas for 2015. It is important for people to shop and compare to be sure they choose the best plan to meet their health and budget needs, whether they are renewing their coverage or are buying through the state health insurance marketplace for the first time.

Connect for Health Colorado is the only place for Coloradans to qualify for financial assistance in the form of tax credits to lower their monthly costs.  The amount of financial assistance an individual or family can qualify for is calculated based on the price of the second-lowest-cost Silver level plan in their geographic rating area, and their household income and size. This is true regardless of what level of plan they buy.

Because the cost of that Silver-level plan has dropped in almost every region of the state – so will the average financial assistance levels in 2015 for those who qualify. That means many people who stay with their current coverage will see their share of the monthly premium go up. A change in income or household size will also affect the amount of financial assistance.

We suggest that all current customers – especially current customers receiving financial assistance – shop and compare new plans and prices before deciding whether to renew their current plans. There likely are less expensive choices that meet their health and budget needs – often with their same carrier. But, it’s important that all customers understand their out-of-pocket costs; the least-expensive premiums often have high deductibles and may not result in overall savings if people seek medical care.

Open enrollment will be from November 15, 2014, to February 15, 2015. Whether you are renewing or enrolling for the first time, you must complete enrollment by December 15, 2014, to have coverage January 1, 2015, and avoid a gap in your coverage.

Shopping tips
Insurance carriers have increased the number of options available to individuals and families buying through the Marketplace. In addition to more choice for Coloradans, there are also new lower-cost options.

It is important to comparison shop – and review more than just premiums and costs. Also look at benefits and coverage changes:

• Is your doctor or hospital of choice included in the plan’s provider network? Seeing an out-of-network doctor typically is more expensive.
• Lower premium plans often mean it will cost you more to receive care. Find out if there is a deductible and how much it is, as well as the out-of-pocket maximum. Determine what you would have to pay for a doctor’s visit.
• Check the prescription coverage, especially if you need specific medications.
• If you believe you will need a procedure, such as back surgery, MRI scans or knee replacement, check how it is covered in the plans you are considering.

Help is available
Finding and understanding your options is complicated.  We suggest Coloradans take advantage of free, in-person help in every county of our state from a statewide network of trained and certified Health Coverage Guides and Brokers. These are experts who can help explain the differences in plans, benefits and costs, and help you through the financial application and enrollment process.

There are more than 1,550 independent brokers and agents, and more than 400 Health Coverage Guides and Certified Application Counselors. To find them in your area (search by zip code) go to connectforhealthco.com/help-center/

Key Dates and Deadlines for Individuals and Families

• Open Enrollment: November 15, 2014 – February 15, 2015.
  • You cannot purchase health insurance after this period unless you have a qualifying life-change event, such as marriage, divorce, having a child, losing your employer-sponsored insurance, or moving to Colorado.
• Last day to enroll for coverage beginning January 1, 2015, is December 15, 2014. You must pay your first-month’s bill by December 25.
• Last day to enroll for 2015 coverage (absent a life change event): February 15, 2015.

About Connect for Health Colorado
Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established in law by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011 to create a health insurance Marketplace.  It opened for business on Oct. 1, 2013 for individuals, families and small employers to compare and buy health insurance and apply for tax credits to help make their insurance more affordable. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or chat from expert Customer Service Center representatives; and find in-person assistance from certified brokers and agents, community based certified Health Coverage Guides or Certified Application Counselors.

The next open enrollment period for individuals and families is Nov. 15, 2014 through Feb. 15, 2015. For more information: connectforhealthco.com

Contact: Ben Davis, 303-522-6790

DENVER (Monday, Oct. 13) – Davis D. Fansler of Telluride joins the Connect for Health Colorado® Board of Directors today following his appointment by Gov. John Hickenlooper as a representative of small employer health insurance.

Fansler is filling the seat of Richard T. Betts of Telluride, one of the original Board members appointed by the Governor in 2011 for the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange, now called Connect for Health Colorado. Betts, founder and President of ASAP Accounting & Payroll, Inc., served as Vice Chair of the Board and then Chair of its Finance Committee. He stepped down from the Board this summer.

“We’re pleased to welcome Davis to our Board,” says Board Chair Sharon O’Hara. “His vast experience in healthcare management, finance and small business will be a great contribution to Connect for Health Colorado as we develop strategies to grow the Marketplace and increase coverage in our state for individuals, families and small businesses.”

Adds O’Hara, “We’re also so thankful to Richard for the expertise, time and energy he devoted to help establish and launch Connect for Health Colorado, particularly his contributions toward developing and implementing the plan for long-term sustainability. We wish him all the best.”

Fansler brings more than 30 years’ experience in the healthcare industry. Currently he is a Director of the Healthcare Practice with the accounting and consultancy firm Wipfli LLP, working primarily with hospitals and health systems on physician integration.  He began his career in finance serving as lending officer at First Bank Minneapolis managing a large healthcare portfolio. He then became Vice President of Healthcare Management, serving as Vice President and Regional Director for the medical group contract management division. He later co-founded and was managing partner of Partners Consulting Group, Ltd based in Minneapolis, which provided strategic business development and ambulatory care management consulting services for hospitals, health systems, and medical groups. Fansler also helped found and manage a healthcare venture capital fund, the PSF Healthcare Fund.

Fansler is a former Mayor of Mountain Village, CO, and has served on many boards and commissions.  Currently he is a board member of the Tri County Health Network and is vice-chair and head of the grants committee of the Telluride Foundation, which donates nearly $1 million a year to non-profits.  He and his wife, Barbara, have five children.

About Connect for Health Colorado
Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established in law by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011.  A health insurance Marketplace built just for Colorado, it launched on Oct. 1, 2013 for individuals, families and small employers to compare and buy health insurance and apply for tax credits to help make their insurance more affordable. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or chat from expert Customer Service Center representatives; and find in-person assistance from certified brokers and agents, community based certified Health Coverage Guides or Certified Application Counselors.   The next open enrollment period for individuals and families is Nov. 15, 2014 through Feb. 15, 2015. For more information: www.connectforhealthco.com

Contact: Ben Davis 303-522-6790

A ruling Tuesday in Federal District Court in Muskogee, Okla., does not impact Coloradans who receive financial assistance (tax credits) to lower the cost of their health insurance purchased through Connect for Health Colorado.

The federal court decision in Oklahoma, similar to a separate ruling in U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, interprets the Affordable Care Act to say the federal government could not subsidize health insurance in those states that rely on the federal Marketplace.  A federal appeals court in Virginia in July ruled the opposite and upheld the tax credits.

These decisions have no impact on customers of Connect for Health Colorado – or in other states like Colorado that operate their own state-based health insurance Marketplaces (exchanges).

All cases were brought by states opposed to the healthcare law and challenge financial assistance (tax credits) paid to residents of the 36 states on the federal exchange. The Obama Administration is appealing the D.C. and Oklahoma decisions. The tax credits will continue while appeals are under way.

We are fortunate that Colorado’s legislature in 2011, on a bipartisan basis, opted to create a state-based Marketplace in Colorado, which now operates as Connect for Health Colorado. Our customers are not affected by the court ruling. If you receive tax credits to help lower the cost of your health insurance, there is no reason for concern about your coverage.

Contact: Ben Davis 303-522-6790

DENVER – The Connect for Health Colorado board Monday voted to approve a software licensing agreement that will enable the health insurance Marketplace to improve the user experience for individuals and families purchasing coverage through the state Marketplace while adding to the technological foundation that will support anticipated growth.

The $3.5 million agreement with Oracle will allow Connect for Health Colorado to correctly license for its needs and accommodate future growth. This supports significant enhancements to Connect for Health Colorado’s information technology systems in terms of scalability, performance, stability and security as the Marketplace prepares for the open enrollment and the renewal process for 146,000 current customers.

The Colorado Marketplace, which launched on time in 2013 and stayed operational for more than 99 percent of the time during the initial open enrollment period, has been ranked as one of the top-performing health insurance exchanges in the nation.

About Connect for Health Colorado
Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established in law by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011.  It opened for business on Oct. 1, 2013 for individuals, families and small employers to compare and buy health insurance and apply for tax credits to help make their insurance moreaffordable. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or chat from expert Customer Service Center representatives; and find in-person assistance from certified brokers and agents, community based certified Health Coverage Guides or Certified Application Counselors.

The next open enrollment period for individuals and families is Nov. 15, 2014 through Feb. 15, 2015. For more information: www.connectforhealthco.com

Contact: Ben Davis 303-522-6790

DENVER (August 15, 2014) – The Board of Directors of Connect for Health Colorado™ today named Gary Drews, Founder and Chief Executive of TheWorldWeWant, LLC  and former seven-year Chief Financial Officer of the Colorado Health Foundation, as interim Chief Executive Officer for the health insurance Marketplace.

Drews, who starts his new role on August 25, replaces former CEO Patty Fontneau, who left this month to become President of Private Exchange Business for Cigna®.

“I’m honored to be able to step in and help the Board and staff as they transition Connect for Health Colorado into its next phase,” Drews says. “We don’t want to lose any of the momentum and direction that’s made the Marketplace a success, particularly as we launch technology enhancements and enter the second open enrollment period.”

Board Chair Sharon O’Hara says, “Gary brings vast experience working with both start-ups and high-growth companies, so he’s familiar with the dynamics of organizations like Connect for Health Colorado. His strengths include using innovation to re-think business models and bringing a longer-view vision.”

The Board is continuing the process to choose and name a permanent chief executive, expected later this year.

In his current position, Drews acts as “an advisor to amplify the impact and further the social mission of non-profit and for-profit organizations with innovative solutions.”  Similarly, he says, Connect for Health Colorado “is wonderful opportunity to further the great results achieved by so many to date and, more importantly, help open access to the care that can turn a child’s future around, not to mention contribute to Colorado becoming the healthiest state.”

Prior to serving as CFO for the Colorado Health Foundation, Drews was Chief Operating Officer for Regis University in Denver and Chief Financial Officer for Colorado Outward Bound School. He also previously worked as a production executive at Walt Disney Studios and a freelance television producer.  He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Master’s degree in communication management from the University of Southern California.

A long-time Coloradan, Drews and his wife, Laura Saye, an organizational development specialist and licensed marriage family therapist, live in Lowry with their 15-year-old son.

 About Connect for Health Colorado

Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established in law by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011.  It opened for business on Oct. 1, 2013 for individuals, families and small employers to compare and buy health insurance and apply for tax credits to help make their insurance more affordable.  Customers can shop online; get help by phone or chat from expert Customer Service Center representatives; and find in person assistance from certified brokers and agents, community based certified Health Coverage Guides or Certified Application Counselors.

The next open enrollment period for individuals and families is Nov. 15, 2014 through Feb. 15, 2015.   For more information: www.connectforhealthco.com

 

 

 

 

 

Ben Davis, 303.522.6790
Linda Kanamine, 720.496.2568

DENVER (July 24, 2014) — Connect for Health Colorado Chief Executive Officer Patty Fontneau announced today she will be leaving Colorado’s health insurance Marketplace next month to begin a new role as President, Private Exchange Business for Cigna (NYSE: CI), a global health service company.

Under Fontneau’s leadership, Connect for Health Colorado has been recognized as a national leader. Since opening nine months ago, the Marketplace has enrolled more than 140,000 Coloradans in private insurance and helped nearly 100,000 gain access to new tax credits that made their health coverage more affordable – all while keeping fees among the lowest in the country.

“I’m proud of the success of the staff and partners of Connect for Health Colorado. We increased access, affordability and choice for individuals, families and small businesses purchasing health insurance in Colorado. We delivered an entirely new service for Coloradans, and opened on time and under budget,” Fontneau said. “The many people behind Connect for Health Colorado will always have my gratitude for their dedication to our mission. I know I’m leaving behind a strong team and a financially healthy organization that will keep serving our state for years to come.”

In December 2011, Fontneau was among the first employees to join what became known as Connect for Health Colorado. She will be leaving her post in mid-August.

“Patty Fontneau led Colorado’s health insurance exchange from infancy to becoming one of the top-performing exchanges in the nation. She set a tone of positive attitude and customer-focused energy, and inspired staff and contractors to work as a cohesive team in the face of aggressive deadlines and an ever-changing regulatory environment,” said Board Chair Sharon O’Hara, Executive Vice President of the Colorado-Wyoming Chapter of the National MS Society. “She’s leaving the organization in excellent shape as we ready for the second year of open enrollments, and we all wish her well.”

“We are excited to welcome Patty to Cigna to lead our emerging Private Exchange Market business which is growing rapidly,” said David Guilmette, Cigna’s President, Global Employer and Private Exchanges. He added, “She will work with our client teams to expand our proprietary private retail exchange and participation in other private exchanges across the country.”

The Connect for Health Colorado Board of Directors plans to name an interim CEO within a week. The Executive Committee of the Board – Chair Sharon O’Hara; Vice Chair Arnold Salazar; and Secretary Mike Fallon, MD– plan to hire a professional firm to help them conduct the search for the next chief executive to lead the organization.

Past Board Chair and current member Gretchen Hammer, Executive Director of the Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved, praised Fontneau for her tireless work and leadership during the startup phase of the state’s insurance marketplace.

“Patty is leaving a lasting legacy of public service that will help hundreds of thousands of Coloradans access healthcare and maintain financial security for years to come. We are all sad to see her leave, and we are grateful and humbled by her unfailing commitment to her team, key stakeholders and the organization over the last two-and-a-half years.”

About Connect for Health Colorado

Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established in law by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011.  It opened for business on Oct. 1, 2013 for individuals, families and small employers to compare and buy health insurance and apply for tax credits to help make their insurance more affordable.  Customers can shop online; get help by phone or chat from expert Customer Service Center representatives; and find in person assistance from certified brokers and agents, community based certified Health Coverage Guides or Certified Application Counselors.

The next open enrollment period for individuals and families is Nov. 15, 2014 through Feb. 15, 2015.   For more information: www.connectforhealthco.com

Cigna contact

Michelle Vroom
267-664-0787
[email protected]

 

Tuesday’s ruling in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has no impact on customers of Connect for Health Colorado – or in other states like Colorado that operate their own state-based health insurance Marketplaces (exchanges).

The case was a challenge centered on subsidies (tax credits) paid to residents of the 36 states on the federal exchange. The Obama Administration has already announced it is appealing today’s decision. Meanwhile, the same Appellate Court also ruled that no subsidies can stop while appeals are under way.

We are fortunate that Colorado’s legislature in 2011, on a bipartisan basis, opted to create a state-based Marketplace in Colorado, which now operates as Connect for Health Colorado. Our customers are not affected by the court ruling. If you receive tax credits to help lower the cost of your health insurance, there is no reason for concern about your coverage.

www.ConnectforHealthCO.com
1-855-PLANS-4-You (855-752-6749)